Our journey around the world continues, in search of the most original and tasty traditional grills to try at least once in a lifetime.
In part 1 we travelled to Japan, Korea, Argentina, South Africa and Spain; in the second part we turned up the heat in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Brazil, Germany and Taiwan.
Where will the barbecue aroma take us on this third leg?
Barbacoa – Mexico and the Caribbean
Does the name ring a bell? That’s right: the word barbecue comes from barbacoa, a meat cooking method originating in the Caribbean and a tradition in modern-day Mexico. The preparation involves mutton or lamb cooked in a pit dug into the ground, covered with agave leaves.
If a hole can’t be dug, the meat can be cooked over embers, close to an open flame.
Once cooked, this very tasty meat is served with corn tortilla, chopped onion and cilantro.
Tandoor – India
In India, Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan and other Southeast Asian countries, meat is cooked in a special cylindrical terracotta oven, fuelled by wood or charcoal, which reaches very high temperatures (almost 500°C).
The most famous dish in the world is definitely tandoori chicken, seasoned before roasting with yoghurt, garam masala and tandoori masala, a spice mix that includes cayenne pepper, chilli pepper and turmeric.
The result is a bright red chicken, typically served with naan bread.
Shish Kebab – Turchia
We are all familiar with the kebab, but its Turkish version differs slightly from the classic flatbread we are used to in Italy. Beef and lamb meat is in fact served and cooked on skewers and interspersed with vegetables.
A variety of spices are used to flavour the meat, including cumin, coriander, cinnamon and thyme.
Satay – Indonesia e Malesia
In Southeast Asia, grilling is a symbol of gratitude: during traditional ceremonies, all guests are invited to cook and eat together, to bring abundance and well-being into their lives.
Satay is a skewer grilled on a barbeque, in which meat (usually chicken, goat, mutton, pork or beef) is threaded through bamboo sticks.
It is cooked over a high heat or very slowly over wood embers, depending on the recipe. The Indonesian version, where Satay is the national dish, is served with a spicy sauce made of peanuts, cucumbers, rice and onions.
Yakiniku – Giappone
This is a traditional yet modern dish: in fact, until 1871, cooking meat was forbidden in Japan. This style of barbecue involves grilling chunks of precious Kobe meat directly at the table, dipped in a sauce made of mirin (a special type of sakè), soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Whichever cooking method you choose, the first step to excellent grilling is a functional and efficient barbecue: discover all Palazzetti products and choose the one best suited to your needs!
